


Crash

by BC2



Series: Ruby and Nora (Redux) [13]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Abuse, Bandits & Outlaws, Canonical Character Death, Childhood Trauma, Domestic Violence, F/F, F/M, Lesbian Character, Revenge, Trains, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 10:17:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16784971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BC2/pseuds/BC2
Summary: The Bandit Queen makes her move against Ruby and Nora.





	1. Boom

“I hope this won’t be a problem, Raven,” Salem spoke through her scroll. “It would be a shame to lose you and your clan because of your incompetence.”

”I won’t let you down, Mistress,” Raven assured.

”For your sake, I hope not.” Salem hung up after that.

Raven gulped heavily, and looked at the scroll in her hands. “Vernal!”

The short haired woman made her way inside Raven’s personal tent. “Was that Salem?” She asked.

”No, it was my other contact outside of the Clan,” Raven snarked, sarcastically. “I need to do something for her, so I’ll be out for a bit. You’re in charge until I get back.”

” **If** you get back.” Vernal crossed her arms.

”Don’t start this again.” Raven turned towards her personal weapons’ shelf.

”That woman is going to get you killed,” Vernal said as Raven gathered her sword and mask.

”Vernal, the only reason I’m working with her is to ensure that she doesn’t do that.” Raven turned back to Vernal, mask held under her arm. “Now stop arguing with me.”

Vernal sighed. Raven glared at her before she began walking out of her tent. As Raven passed her, Vernal grabbed her wrist.

”Wait a minute, Raven-“

Raven snatched her arm away and vicious struck Vernal to the ground. “I said stop arguing with me!”

Vernal held her bruised cheek, eyes wide with horror.

Raven looked down at her terrified lover, then clenched her fist. Closing her eyes, she let out a frustrated sigh. “Why do you always make me do that?”

”I’m...s-sorry...” Vernal stuttered out an apology.

”It’s okay.” Raven helped Vernal to her feet, and pulled her into a kiss. “I’m going to grab Shay and a few others, and we’re going to deal with this girl.”

”Okay.” Vernal looked away from her.

”Hey, come on, look at me.” Raven gently took Vernal’s chin and turned towards her. “I’ll be fine. It’s me, remember?”

”Yeah,” Vernal placed a hand on her bruised cheek, “I remember.”

* * *

Ruby looked out the window and watched the trees fly by. Nora sat across from her, looking at Ruby with a smile on her face.

”You know, my eighteenth birthday passed by,” Ruby said, wanting to start conversation.

”I know, we celebrated around your unconscious body,” Nora said, causally.

”That’s kind of macabre, isn’t it?” Ruby looked at Nora, raising an eyebrow.

”Well, ‘celebrated’ wasn’t the right word,” Nora said. “It was more like praying for you to recover, then tearfully eating cupcakes afterwards.”

”I see.” Ruby frowned. “Maybe I should’ve stayed with them longer before going on this mission.”

“I probably should’ve waited longer than a few days before coming to get you.” Nora frowned, as well.

”I guess we’re both being a little short sighted about this whole thing, aren’t we?” Ruby asked.

”Definitely...I still want to kill whoever destroyed Vale, though.”

”Same here,” Ruby said.

”Good morning, ladies,” the waiter from before greeted them. “I do hope your third night sleeping with us was much more comfortable than the first.”

”It was.” Ruby smiled at him.

”What would you two like for breakfast?” He asked.

”I’ll have pancakes,” Nora said, confidently.

Ruby looked at her in shock, and Nora gave her a warm smile.

”And you, miss?” The waiter looked towards Ruby.

”Chocolate Chip cookies, with milk!” Ruby beamed.

”For...breakfast?” The waiter tried not to sound judgmental.

”You know it!” Ruby handed him her menu.

”If you insist,” the waiter chuckled, taking both of their menus. “As always, breakfast will be done in less than ten minutes.”

”Thanks,” both girls said, simultaneously.

* * *

Raven watched at the train moved closer and closer to the bridge.

”Ma’am, the bridge is ready to blow!” Shay called up to Raven from the bottom of the tree she was standing on.

”Good,” she jumped down to the grass below, landing right next to Shay, “you blow the bridge on my mark.”

Shay nodded.

* * *

”Ladies and gentlemen, we are coming up to Mistral as I speak,” the conductor said over the train’s intercom.

”Wonderful!” Nora cheered.

”Yeah, I’m glad that weird Grimm guy was the only thing we had to deal with on this trip.

”Breakfast is served, ladies.” The waiter walked up to the two, plates full of cookies and pancakes respectively.

”Oh boy!” Ruby rubbed her hands together, licking her lips in excitement.

Thw waiter had just set the plates on their table when a loud “BOOM” rang through the air. Everyone on the train instinctively ducked, some even screamed.

”What was that?!” Nora asked, panicked.

Just after she asked, the train seemed to dip. Ruby, Nora, the waiter, everyone and everything in the cart raised into the air as the train fell off the bridge.

* * *

Raven and her men coldly watched as the train fell off the tracks, and down towards the grasslands below.

”Alright!” Raven shouted to get their attention. “We kill any survivors! You find a girl with black hair with red highlights, bring her to me!”

”What about the orange haired girl?” Shay asked. “Didn’t Salem say something about traveling with her?”

”Kill her too,” Raven ordered, coldly. “We get this done quick and easy, and Salem won’t have any of our heads, got that?”

They all nodded, and Shay tossed her a pistol.

”Good.”


	2. Nora’s Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for this to become canon!

Nora awoke in the burning wreckage of the train. She was surrounded by bodies, some dead, others injured. Nora herself wasn’t fairing much better, while her aura had protected her as best it could, she was still covered in cuts and bruises. Horrifically, she also couldn’t feel her left leg.

”R-Ruby?” Nora tried to call out, but her voice was horse and quiet. She tried to stand, but a sharp pain shot through her the second she put any pressure on her left leg. “Wha...?” Nora looked to see a large piece of shrapnel sticking out of her leg. “Oh...shit...” she sat up, grabbed the shrapnel, and closed her eyes. “3...2...1!” Nora pulled quick and hard, tearing the shrapnel from her leg. Nora yelp, then let out a delirious, pain-filled laugh. Sighing, she fell onto her back, and looked up towards the blue sky.

”Please, help me!” Nora heard the waiter call.

Turning to her right, Nora saw the injured waiter looking up to Raven as he laid on the ground. Raven just glared on him, expression cold and emotionless.

”Ple-“ His pleas were cut off by Raven coldly shooting him in the head.

Nora widened her eyes at the sight of Raven and her men shooting the bodies of the other passengers and train staff. That wasn’t the only reason Nora was terrified, however. There was another reason.

She recognized Raven...

* * *

Nora was six when she woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of gunshots and screaming. Not understanding the danger, Nora rubbed her tired eyes, got out of bed, and walked over to her bedroom window. Looking outside, she saw only darkness, with the occasional flash of light that came along with the bang of a gunshot.

”Nora!” Nora’s mother, Ophelia Valkyrie, opened the door to her daughter’s room. “Nora, get away from the window!”

”What’s going on, mommy?” Nora asked, confused. “The loud noises woke me up.”

”I know sweetie, come here,” Ophelia said, holding her arms open.

Nora ran into her mother’s arms, and Ophelia began running. She ran out of the house, and towards one of the villages exits.

”Why are we leaving, mommy?” Nora asked, sadly looking back towards her home.

”Bad people are attacking us, Nora.” Ophelia was just about to leave the village when Shay walked out from the shadows, blocking her path. Ophelia could only gasp.

”Where do you think you’re going?” Shay smirked and pointed his gun at Ophelia’s head. “Set your girl down and get back in the village,” he ordered. “Raven loves to decide what to do with any survivors of her raids.”

Ophelia looked to Nora, and set her down. Shay smirked, only for Ophelia to lunge at him.

”Hey!” His eyes widened and he shot his gun, but Ophelia managed to grab his wrist and lift it into the air before it fired.

”Nora! Run!” Ophelia cried.

”What about you?” Nora had tears in her eyes as the gravity of her situation set in.

”I’ll be okay, sweetie,” Ophelia assured. “Just keep running and don’t look back!”

Nora was conflicted, but Shay’s snarling fury scared her into the running out of village.

With tears in her eyes, Nora ran. She ran even after she heard the sound of her mother being pushed to the ground, and gunshots ring out. She ran until the sun rose and sky went from black, to orange, then to blue. She ran until sleep overtook her, and she passed out on the cold, dirt ground.

* * *

Nora woke up with a start. She was still on the ground, cloths and hair dirty from from the mud she had been laying in. She sniffed, got to her feet, and saw another village in the distance.

Shaking, she made her way over to the village, and saw the words carved into the stone of the entrance.

”Kuroyuri?” Nora read the words, unsure. She walked inside the village, and that’s when her stomach grumbled. Letting out a sad whimper, Nora noticed a stand with bread, fruit, and other goods near the village’s entrance. Checking her pockets, she was thankful to find some lien that the tooth fairy had left under her pillow last night. She made her way to the stand “Excuse me?”

The shop owner’s face contorted in disgust. “Beat it, kid!”

”Please, I’m hungry,” Nora pleaded.

”And I need to make a living,” the owner said, coldly. “I can’t do that with mud all over my food, now get lost!”

”I have lien, though.”

”Don’t look like you do,” the owner said, condescendingly.

Nora held out her hand and showed him all the lien she had. “This should be enough for a loaf, right?”

”Yeah, but I’m not giving you one,” the owner said.

”Why not?!” Nora cried, tears of frustration welling.

”I don’t want you soiling my reputation,” the owner said, coldly. “What will people think if they see me selling food to some dirty street rat.”

”But-“

”But Nothing!” The owner barked. “Scram!”

Nora sniffed, and glared angrily at the owner. Without hesitation, she threw her lien at him and snatched the bread from the stand. “Thanks!”

”What the...? You little brat!” The owner jumped over his stand began chasing her. “Get back here, you’re ruining a perfectly good loaf of bread!”

Nora turned into an alleyway, and looked desperately for a place to hide. Finding nothing, she ran out the other end and bumped into a boy.

”Ow!” Ren fell flat on his butt.

”Ow!” Nora did the same.

Ren rubbed his head, then saw Nora in front of him. ”Hey, are you okay?” He asked.

”Yes, I’m sorry I ran into you,” Nora said.

Ren smiled. “It’s okay.” He got to his feet, and offered Nora a hand.

Nora looked at him for a second, before taking it and allowing Ren to help her to her feet. “Thanks.”

”You’re-“

”There you are!” The owner bellowed as he stomped over to Nora and Ren.

”Hey,” Ren got between him and Nora, “what do you think your doing, Raion?”

”Move it, Lie!” Raion ordered. “You’re father or mother aren’t here to protect you!”

”No.” Ren eyed him down.

Raion scoffed. “Don’t think I’m afraid to hurt you. Just because your parents founded this village doesn’t mean you’re invincible.””

Ren said nothing.

”Last chance kid, move or I’ll-“

”You’ll what, Raion?”

Raion’s rage turned to fear when he looked up to see Li Ren staring at him, rage hidden by an aura of coolness.

”Li! I...uh...your son here...was...”

”Spit it out,” Li ordered, calmly.

”He was defending this thief!” Raion pointed to Nora.

”I gave you the lien!” Nora shouted in her defense.

”If she payed you, why are you chasing her?” Li asked.

”She’s lying!” Raion exclaimed.

”I left the lien on his stand,” Nora said. “He just didn’t want to sell me anything because I was a street rat.”

Li’s gaze only hardened.

”She’s ly-“ Raion began.

”Rai, think about what you’re about to say very clearly, because if I walk back to that stand and that lien is there, I’ll be personally exiling you!”

Raion was about to speak, but he stopped himself.

”That’s what I thought, get out of my sight!” Li barked, sending the cowardly man packing. He sighed and looked towards the kids, gaze and tone softening. “You did a good thing, Ren.”

”Just following your advice, father,” Ren said with a smile.

”And I’m proud of you for it.” Li then turned to Nora. “Hello there.”

Nora hid behind Ren. “Hi.”

”Can you tell me your name?”

”N-Nora,” she stuttered.

”Nora, that’s a cute name,” Li said. “Can I ask where you came from?”

”My village...something bad was happening there.” Nora began to well up, again. “My mommy got into a fight with a man with a gun, and she told me to run.”

”Bandits.” Li gritted his teeth. “Nora, how long ago was this.”

”About a day,” Nora answered.

”I see...Lie, get home and tell your mother about this,” Li ordered Ren.

Ren nodded, and turned on his heel to run back to his house.

”Nora, did you see any of the bandits?” Li asked, gently.

”Only the angry man with the gun,” Nora said.

”I see.” Li smiled. “Say, would you want to come stay with my family and I?”

”Will you help me find my mommy?”

Li frowned. “I...of course, Nora.”

* * *

Nora was awoken by the sound of gunshots and screaming. “Oh no! Not again!” Nora screamed, waking Ren, who had been sleeping in a makeshift bed on the floor, after graciously handing his bed over to Nora.

”Nora?” He rubbed his tired eyes.

”They’re here!” Nora screamed. “The bad people are here!”

”What?” Ren seemed to panic. “Mom! Dad!”

”We’re up, Lie.” An ran into the room. “You’re father told me to make sure we stay inside.”

”But-“

”It’s okay, sweetie,” An assured. “You’re father can handle himself.”

Ren and Nora looked to each other, worried expressions on their face.

That’s when a shot rang out, and everything outside went quiet.

”If any other members of the Ren family would like to step out of the house, that would be appreciated!” A woman called from outside the house.

An, Nora, and Ren looked out the window to see a young Raven, she was pointing her gun at the head of a subdued Li. Raion was standing behind her.

”Come out, or the man of the house gets it!” Raven shouted,

”Daddy!” Ren cried, he turned and ran out of his room.

”Ren, don’t!” An ran after him, Nora following behind.

Ren ran outside, tears running down his face. “Daddy!”

”Ren!” Li caught his son in his arms.

”Aww, isn’t that real cute?” Shay snarked, then he noticed Nora in the doorway of the Ren house. “Hey boss, that’s her!”

”Ah! The one that got away!” Raven turned towards Raion. “Thanks.”

”Don’t mention it,” Raion said, sneering at Nora.

”I never pegged you as a nice man, Raion,” An spat. “But this is a new low, even for you.”

”Yeah, well, when you got to live and get payback, it seemed like a win-win!”

”Speaking of living, I don’t need you anymore.” Raven remorselessly shot Raion in the leg.

Raion let out a girlish scream and fell to the ground, gripping his leg. “But...but you said...”

”Never trust a bandits, pal,” Raven shot him between the eyes. She then turned her attention to Nora. “Get over here!”

Nora just stared at her.

”I said,” Raven wrestled Ren from An and Li’s grasp, having her men hold them down while she pressed her gun against his head, “get over here!”

Nora and Ren locked eyes. His eyes were shaking, pupils shrinking in fear. Nora, with no other choice, walked out of the house and towards Raven.

”Good girl.” Raven tossed Ren into the arms of two of her men when Nora got within grabbing distance, and took the girl by the face. “Did I ever tell you how much I **hate** it when people escape my raids?”

Nora’s eyes glanced towards Ren, and Raven, still gripping her face, smacked her.

”Hey, look at me when I’m talking to you!”

Nora just looked away again.

”Ugh, kids...” Raven sighed, shaking her head in frustration. “Made the right choice, coming back here instead of staying with...” her face contorted in disgust, “...them.”

”Please!” Ren cried. “Just let my daddy go!”

Raven turned to Ren, then to Li. “Huh, nice relationship with your dad you got there?”

Ren didn’t answer her.

”I asked you a question!” Raven punched Ren in the stomach.

”Lie!” An fought against her captors.

”Don’t touch my son you wicked excuse for a woman!” Li screamed. “You touch him again and you’re dead!”

Raven scoffed, rolling her eyes. She looked down at Ren’s quivering form before her. His eyes met her’s, still gripping his stomach.

”Good father and children relationships are rather off to me,” Raven admitted in a joking manner. “Shay, tell me, what did I do to dear old dad when I got back?”

”Killed him,” Shay answered, causally.

”Bingo!” Raven snapped her fingers. “Back to the topic at hand.” Raven looked down the Nora, who was still in her hand. “I usually kill any man, woman, or child ‘lucky’ enough to escape my grasp, but since you led us to another village to raid, I’ll be merciful and just sell you to slavery instead.”

Raven’s men chuckled, as if giving the false hope of mercy was a joke.

”How much you guys think she costs?” Raven asked her men, putting Nora in a head lock.

That’s when they heard it, the howling of beowolves.

”Crap!” Raven swore. “Alright guys, you know the drill. Anyone you don’t think we can sell, tie up and leave as Grimm bait.”

Raven’s men began beating down everyone who they saw as worthless. Some grabbed any attractive women they could find, and any fit men as well. The rest were tied up after being weakened by the beatings, Ren and his family being one of them.

”Shame about the lady Ren,” Raven snarked. “I’m sure you’d make a rich guy or gal **_very_** happy.”

An could only spit on the floor as she and Li were tied up along with the rest of their “worthless” villagers.

”Hey, why isn’t that kid tied up, yet?!” Raven barked on the two men who were handling Ren.

”We’re trying!” One of them cried. “This kid keeps fighting us!”

”Then beat him down like the rest!” Raven ordered, causally. “The Grimm are coming!”

As Nora tried to wrestle herself from Raven’s grasp, she notice a line of dust crystals were lining up Raven’s leg. One was an electrical dust crystal, and fortunately for Nora, she had just recently discovered her semblance after an incident of being struck by lighting. Nora grabbed the crystal and crushed it in her hand.

”What the...?” Raven felt a strong arm grab her’s.

”Let. Me. Go!” Nora flipped Raven towards the two men who were holding onto Ren, knocking one of them off him with her body.

With one hand free, Ren jabbed his fingers into the eyes of the man that was still holding him.

”Argh!” He let of Ren. “You little-“ before attack, he was tackled by an Ursa. “Ah! Help me!”

”No!” The thug that Raven was thrown into tried to rush the usra, but Raven stopped.

”Forget him, you idiot!” Raven barked. “Everyone, grab your hostage and let’s get out of here!”

Raven and Shay began to run off, other bandits were dragging their hostages behind them while others supplied them with cover fire.

”Mommy, Daddy!” Ren ran up to his parents and tried to untie them.

”Ren, run!” Li ordered.

”No!” Ren was desperately tugging at the note that tied his parents up.

”Ren, sweetie,” An spoke gently. “Please...run...”

Ren looked at both of them.

”Please Ren,” Li pleaded.

Ren looked at both of them one last time. “I love you! I’m sorry!”

The roar of neveormores was all Ren could hear. One swooped down to scoop him up, but Nora tackled him to the ground.

”Come on!” Nora took Ren’s hand, and the two began to run out of the village.

As Nora was dragging him along, Ren heard the screams as the tied up civilians were being mauled by the Grimm.

”Don’t turn around,” Nora said. “Just keep running and don’t look back.”

* * *

Nora was pulled from her memories by the sound of a boot stepping right next to her head. She looked up to see Shay grinning down at her.

”Son of a bitch. Hey boss! This girl look familiar?”

Raven walked over to Shay and Nora, a look of shock grew on her face when she saw who it was. “No way, the girl from Kuroyuri.”

”You wouldn’t happen to be traveling with a girl with black hair and red highlights, would you?” Shay asked.

Nora didn’t answer, she just stared at the two of them.

”Doesn’t matter, we’ll find her in the wreckage eventually,” Raven said. “Keep looking, I’ll deal with her.”

Shay nodded and continued searching through the bodies for Ruby.

”I have to say kid, I thought you had slipped through my fingers all those years back,” Raven said, loading her pistol. “Tell me, what happened to the child of the Ren house?”

”He’s dead...” Nora answered, voice emotionless.

”Aww, that’s real said,” Raven deadpanned, she aimed her gun at Nora’s head. “No worries, you’ll be seeing him again soon enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ren’s parents are the first straight couple I introduced in this series and they’re dead. Suck it “bury your gays” trope.


	3. Fleeing Ravens

Nora stared down the barrel of Raven’s gun. Showing no fear, she closed her eyes, and got lost in her thoughts.

 _I_ _wonder_ _if_ _this_ _is_ _what_ _happened_ _when_ _mom_ _died_ , Nora thought. _I hope Ruby can make it without me._

”Nora!” Ruby’s scream pulled Nora from what she thought were her final thoughts.

”Shit!” Raven aimed her gun at the red blur of rose petals coming straight for her. Unfortunately for her, she was unable to get a clear shot before Ruby tackled her to the ground. “Ah!” Raven cried as her gun and sword were knocked from her hand. “Guys!”

Raven’s men were by her side in a heartbeat, guns and stun buttons ready.

”Stun buttons?” Nora eyes widened, then a smirk grew on her lips.

”Give it up, girl,” Raven said. “You’re surrounded!”

Ruby looked around, fear growing as she realized she was, truly, surrounded.

”Drop the sword, and no one has to get hurt,” Raven said in a negotiable manner.

Ruby heard the guns click, and saw Raven’s men aiming for her head. With a sigh, she dropped Penny’s sword. “I’ll go with you, but you let Nora live.”

“Sure thing, dearie.” Raven smirked. “Take her!”

One of Raven’s thugs moved in on Ruby with a stun button. Just as he swung to strik her, Nora jumped in between them, taking the strike instead, and getting a jolt of electricity for it.

”Heh, unlucky for you!” The thug struck Nora again, giving her another jolt.

”Stop!” Raven shouted.

”What’s up, boss?” The thug asked.

”Salem warned me about her, she gets her power from-“

Nora suddenly jumped up, and uppercut the man so hard his neck snapped. “Electricity!”

”Shit...open fire!” Raven ordered.

”But what about-“

”I said, **open** **fire!** ” Raven barked.

Shay and the thug to Raven’s right did as they were told, and began fire upon Nora. Unfortunately for the thugs behind Nora, Nora grabbed Ruby and dodged out of the way, leaving them to get riddled with bullets.

”You okay?” Nora asked Ruby.

”I’m fine.” Ruby smiled. “Go get them.”

Nora smirked and charged the remaining three bandits.

”Raven, what do we do?” Shay asked in fear as Nora charged them.

”Don’t know...good luck!” Raven turned into her bird form and flew off.

”What the...Boss?!” Shay cried just a Nora pounced.

She jumped onto the nameless thug, and straddled him. Knocking him out cold with two hard punches across the face.

”Hey! St-Stop!” Shay ordered, voiced shaking in fear.

Nora did, and looked straight into his eyes. “What’s the matter? Scared.”

”No!” Shay shouted, though his shaking hands caused Nora to see right through his lie.

She stood up.

”Hey...don’t move! I’ll shoot.”

She took a step towards him.

”I said stop! I will shoot you!”

”Then do it!” Nora shouted and charged him.

Shay took aim with his pistol, pulled the trigger, and...

*Click*

His revolver jammed. “Fuck,” was all he got out before Nora brought him to the ground with a right hook.

Nora looked at his dropped pistol, and took it.

Shay has just pushed himself off the ground when he felt his own gun against his head. Shaking, and turned to look down the barrel of his gun.

”Do you know what it felt like, to run in fear while the woman who raised you dies for you?” Nora asked, coldly.

Shay’s eyes stared madly in all directions, hoping to find something to save himself, but he found nothing. No miracles, and no way out.

”I wonder if this gun will jam for me?” Nora asked as she played with the trigger.

”Can’t we talk about this?” Shay begged.

Nora aimed at his head.

”C-come on!” Shay was too scared to move. “Ple-“ He was cut off by his gun fire a bullet between his eyes. His body stayed in that begging position for a few seconds, as if frozen in time, before falling to the dirt with an unceremonious thud.

Nora dropped his gun, and dropped to the ground not long after.

”Nora!” Ruby ran up to her. “Are you okay?”

”Yeah, my leg injury is just catching up with me, that’s all,” Nora assured. “Did you find our weapons?”

Ruby shook her head, and revealed she had Magnhild wrapped to her waist the whole time.

”No offense, but that would have been a nice thing to throw me,” Nora snarked.

”Kind had my hands full,” Ruby snarked back.

”Where is Crescent Rose?” Nora asked.

Ruby frowned, and shook her head. “She didn’t survive the crash.”

”Oh no...Ruby...I’m so sorry,” Nora said in a comforting manner.

”It’s okay,” Ruby said, a sad smile growing on her face. “Just another loss to add to the list.”

That’s when they heard it, an airship. The two looked up to see a Mistral bullhead landing right next to them.

”Hey, we saw the smoke!” The pilot called. “Are you okay?”

”I’m fine, but my friend is injured!” Ruby called back.

”Get her on, we can patch her right up!”

Ruby held out her hand, and Nora smiled at her before taking it. The two hobbled towards the airship, the pilot helping them on when they were at arm’s length. He gently laid Nora down on a stretcher that was on the airship, before making his way back to the cockpit.

”There might be other survivors,” Ruby said.

”No worries, we have other ships on the way,” the pilot assured. “They’ll find any survivors.”

”That’s good,” Ruby sighed in relief.

”Ruby,” Nora took Ruby’s hand.

”Yes Nora?” Ruby squeezed Nora’s hand.

”We’re going to Mistral!” Nora smiled, tears in her eyes. “We actually got there! We did it!”

Ruby smiled at Nora, and wiped the tears from Nora’s eyes. “Yes Nora, we did.” As Ruby looked out the bullhead to see Mistral moving closer, she felt something she hadn’t felt since she woke up from her coma...

[Hope](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=70NzkC3ALFs).


End file.
